Designed in 1967 by architect Louis I. Kahn and finished in 1972 in collaboration with landscape architects Harriet Pattison and George Patton; and structural engineer August Komendant.

The museum can be accessed through either the lawn and the beautiful mass of yaupon hollies trees out in the entrance courtyard or the rear parking lot (to the East) one story below the main floor.

Either way you enter, the spatial sequence of the building is magnificently clearly laid out.

The museum is comprised of 16 parallel halls covered by 20 feet wide by 100 feet long post-tensioned reinforced concrete shells (or vaults). Each thin vault is supported by four reinforced concrete columns which can be visible throughout the building.

Entrance courtyard with yaupon hollies and opened porches that overlook the water pools.

Main vestibule looking towards the northern courtyard and main stairs connecting to the Eastern vestibule.

The interior curving shells have light slots that allows for natural light to enter the galleries. Stainless steel reflectors bounce the natural light difuminating it throughout the curving vaults illuminating the gallery interiors with a soft well-distributed natural light.

During the past summer days my wife Claudia and I led a team of students to prepare field notes and measured drawings of this turn-of-the-19th-century masterpiece designed by Alfredo B. Wiechers.

For the 2nd consecutive time- our students have been awarded 1st place at the Charles E. Peterson Prize Measured Drawing Student Competition (2015 & 2014). The competition is co-sponsored annually by the National Park Service, Heritage Documentation Program, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia and the American Institute of Architects.

Here are a few sketches I made while assisting the team of students prepare their field notes and documentation drawings.

Floor plan

Following the 19th century tradition I made a composition simultaneously illustrating both interior and exterior views of the dining room area.
Although I like perspective drawings I prefer these analytical drawings. Even if too personal, (meaning that they are really not intended for others), these drawings are essential tools for helping me understand the spatial configuration (and relations) of given building.

For illustrating purposes, I have included this sketch of the main façade I made (and posted) a few years ago.